Low Cost Psychoanalytic Treatment

Psychoanalytic practice has long been the object of severe criticism, a good deal of which has been nothing more than the rationalization of unconscious hostilities evoked by the threat that the procedure represents to any one. Nevertheless, we must recognize that some of these objections have a certain validity. There are two major criticisms, the duration of treatment, and the extremely high cost of most psychoanalytic therapy. The former objection has led to attempts to shorten treatment, almost from the very beginning of psychoanalytic development. Some of these attempts have foundered on the rocks of bitter experience. Such attempts to modify psychoanalytic therapy are still being made to meet this very real objection. The actual validity of such abbreviated therapies will have to stand the test of actual experience. Emotionally determined accusations and counter-accusations are not going to solve the problem. We do not presume to pass any opinion on this subject but prefer to turn to the second objection, namely, the extremely high cost of psychoanalytic therapy. This is of course closely allied to the question of duration. It is needless for us to list the many reasons why psychoanalytic therapy is so expensive. In the minds of the public a session which costs anywhere from $10 to $25 or more limits treatment to those in the upper income brackets. There is little recognition of the fact that the psychoanalyst's time is limited and that he can see only a certain number of patients per day, that in comparison with other specialists the analyst very soon reaches an income level beyond which he cannot rise. Furthermore — many analysts give their time very liberally to teaching institutions and clinics, and much time is devoted to the training of younger analysts at lesser fees. With all this, the vast need for psychoanalysis at a low cost for those who simply cannot afford it at the usual fees still constitutes a very serious problem.

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